Combination washer-dryer having two two-speed motors for driving pump, fan, and clothes drum



May 8, 1962 G. A. NEYHOUSE ETAL 3,033,014

COMBINATION WASHER-DRYER HAVING TWO TWO-SPEED MOTORS FOR DRIVING PUMP,FAN, AND CLOTHES DRUM Filed Nov. 12, 1959 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 7 6 Fig. I IIIIIIII fi F lg. 4

INVENTORS George A. Nay/louse Jack W Savage Fig. 5 BY Ra/p/r K. S/rewmonT Ire/r Afforn y May 8, 1962 G. A. NEYHOUSE ETAL 3,033,014

COMBINATION WASHER-DRYER HAVING TWO TWO-SPEED MOTORS FOR DRIVING PUMP,FAN, AND CLOTHES DRUM Filed NOV. 12, 1959 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Fig. 3

Fig. 2

Their 4770 nit 3,033,hl4 Fatented May 8, 1962 ration of Delaware FiledNov. 12, 1959, Ser. No. 852,284 1 Claim. (Cl. 68-19) This inventionrelates to a domestic appliance and more particularly to a drivemechanism for use in a combination washer-dryer.

With the advent of miracle fabrics, it becomes increasingly desirable toprovide washing machines which can be operated at various speeds. Thisis necessary wherein the spin dry operation can be performed at variousspeeds so as to provide the most desirable spin speed for the particularfabric being washed.

It is an object of this invention to provide a simple drive which makesit possible to use two two-speed motors to operate the rotatable drum ofa combination washer at four different speeds.

A further object of this invention is to provide a simple arrangementwhereby the air circulating fan motor in a combination washer-dryer canbe used for driving the drum during portions of the cycle of operation.

These and further objects and advantages of the pres ent invention willbe apparent from the following description, reference being had to theaccompanying drawing wherein preferred embodiments of the presentinvention are clearly shown.

In the drawing:

FIGURE 1 is a schematic view showing the drive mechanism forming a partof this invention.

FIGURE 2 is a fragmentary sectional view showing the main drive pulleysand clutch arrangement.

FIGURE 3 is a side elevational view of the structure shown in FIGURE 2.

FIGURE 4 is a plan view of the clutch operating cam element.

FIGURE 5 is a view taken at right angles to the view in FIGURE 4.

Referring now to the drawing wherein a preferred em bodiment of theinvention has been shown, reference numeral generally designates thetumbling drum of a combination washer-dryer of the general type shown inUS. Patent 2,225,407. This drum is provided with a pulley 12 whichserves to rotate the drum. A pair of motors 14 and 16 are provided asshown for operating the clothes tumbling drum 1t) and the variousaccessories required for a combination washer-dryer. These accessoriesinclude the usual water pump 18 and the blower or fan schematicallyshown at 30. Each of the motors 14 and 16 is adapted to be selectivelyoperated either as a four-pole or a two-pole motor so as to providemotor speeds of approximately 1725 r.p.m. and 3450 r.p.m. A solenoidoperated clutch 21B is provided between the motor 14 and the pump so asto render the pump inoperative at such times when no pumping isrequired. The motor 14 is provided with a drive shaft 22 on which anoverrunning clutch 24 is provided for driving a pulley 26.

The motor 16 directly drives the fan 39 which is used for circulatingair for drying the clothes during the drying period in accordance withwell known practice. The drive shaft 28 of the motor 16 has a pair ofpulleys 32. and 34 supported on its one end as best shown in FIG- URE 2of the drawing. A first belt 36 transmits power from the pulley 32 tothe pulley 12 which is provided on the tumbling drum. A second belt 38transmits power from the pulley 26 which is driven by the motor 14through the overrunning clutch 24 to the pulley 34.

Referring now to FIGURE 2 of the drawing, the pulley 32 is secureddirectly to a sleeve element 40 so as to at all times rotate in unisonwith the sleeve element 40. A clutch surface 46 is formed on theenlarged outer periphery of the sleeve 40 for a purpose to be explainedmore fully hereinafter. Bearing inserts 48 are provided as shown forproviding bearing support for the sleeve 44 on the shaft 28.

The shaft 28 is provided with a clutch or collar element 50 which isdirectly keyed to the shaft 28 so as to at all times rotate with theshaft 28. The pulley 34 is rotatably supported on the sleeve 44 by meansof a bearing insert 52 and is free to rotate relative to the sleeve 40under certain operating conditions as will be explained more fullyhereinafter. The pulley 34 is provided with a clutch surface 54 adjacentits outer periphery. A first conventional wrap-up type spring clutchelement 56 is provided for drivingly connecting the sleeve 40 and thepulley 34 when it is desired to utilize the motor 14 to drive the drum10. Thus when the motor 14 is energized,

the pulley 34 will be driven by the motor and when this takes place, thespring clutch element 56 will transmit power from the pulley 34 to thesleeve 49 on which the pulley 32 is secured. By virtue of the speedreduction obtained by using pulleys of different sizes between thedriving motor 14 and the drum 10, it is possible to utilize the motor 14to drive the drum 10 at speeds of approximately 50' and r.p.m. When themotor 14 is operated at a speed of approximately 1725 r.p.m., the drum10 will be operated at a speed of 50 r.p.m. and when the motor 14 isoperated at a speed of approximately 3450' r.p.m., the drum 10 will beoperated at a speed of approximately 100 r.p.m. The drum speed of 50r.p.m. is desirable whenever the clothes in the drum 10 are to betumbled during a Washing or drying operation. The 100 r.p.m. speed ofthe drum 1% is used for centrifugally distributing the clothes in thedrum prior to shifting the drive ratio into the extraction ratio whichfunction has been described in a related patent application Serial No.804,372, filed April 6, 1959.

A second conventional wrap-up type of coil spring clutch 60 is providedfor drivingly connecting the. element 50 which is secured to the end ofthe shaft 28 to the sleeve 40 when it is desired to transmit power fromthe motor 16 to the tumbling drum 10. Thus, when it is desired tooperate the clothes drum 10 at a speed of approximately 500 r.p.m., themotor 16 will be energized to operate at a speed of approximately 1725r.p.m. and when this takes place, the shaft 28 and the element 50secured thereto will operate at 1725 r.p.m. At this same time wrap-upspring clutch element 60 drives the sleeve 40, which has secured theretothe pulley 32. The pulley 32 then drives the drum 10 through the belt36. When it is desired to use the fan motor 16 to operate the drum 10 atapproximately 1000 r.p.m., the motor 16 is operated at its 3450 r.p.m.speed.

The spring clutch 60 is controlled by the solenoid 70 which whenenergized serves to retract a pawl element 72 out of the path of theratchet teeth 74 provided on the sleeve 76. The sleeve 76 surrounds thecoil spring clutch element 60, as shown in FIGURE 2. Whenever the solenoid 70 is energized, the pawl 72 will be ineffective to preventrotation of the sleeve 76 with the result that the spring clutch element6%) will wrap around the members 50 and 40 so as to transmit power fromthe member 50 to the member 40 and thence to the pulley 32 and the partsoperated thereby.

When the motor 16 serves to drive the associated mechanism, theover-running clutch 24 provided between the 3 pulley 26 and the motor 14permits the motor 16 to drive the tub 10 without driving the motor 14.

It will be apparent that with solenoid 70 deenergized and motor No. 14operating at 1725 r.p.m., a drum tumbling speed of 50 r.p.m. can beefiected and air flow from fan 30 for drying can be providedsimultaneously by energizing. motor 16 for either 1725 or 3450 r.p.rn.operation.

By virtue of the above described construction and arrangement, it isapparent that the drum 1% can be operated at any one of four speedsmerely using two two-speed motors for providing the necessary power foractuating the drum. The drive mechanism for transmitting power from themotors 14 and 16 to the drum 1% is relatively simple,

and inexpensive.

While the embodiments of the present invention as herein disclosed,constitute preferred forms, it is to be understood that other formsmight be adopted.

What is claimed is as follows:

In a combination washer-dryer, the combination, a clothes drum, a firstmotor, a second motor, a Water pump, means including a clutch fortransmitting power from said first motor to said pump, powertransmitting means for selectively connecting said motors to drive saiddrum, said second motor having a drive shaft projecting from its oneend, a power transmitting means comprising a sleeve rotatably supportedon said shaft, a first pulley secured to said sleeve, a second pulleysupported on said sleeve for rotation relative to said sleeve, saidpower transmitting means including spring clutch means for selectivelytransmitting power from either of said motors to said drum, said springclutch means comprising a first wrap-up spring having one end arrangedto wrap around a surface on said sleeve and having its other endarranged to wrap around a surface on said second pulley and a secondWrap-up spring having its one end arranged to Wrap around a surface onsaid shaft and having its other end arranged to Wrap around a surface onsaid sleeve, each of said motors being multiple speed motors wherebysaid drum may be operated at at least four different speeds by the twomotors, said second motor having a clothes drying fan secured to itsdrive shaft so as to be operated thereby.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNiTED STATES PATENTS2,486,315 Morris Oct. 25, 1949 2,774,248 De Moss Dec. 18, 1956 2,865,187Cowdery Dec. 23, 1958 2,871,688 Geldhofi Feb. 3, 1959 2,881,633 WarhusApr. 14, 1959 OTHER REFERENCES ermany, printed application, 1,056,575,May 6, 195-9.

